Sony Computer Entertainment And Sony Network Entertainment Are Now One SIE With A Focus On PlayStation

The world of PlayStation gaming is ready to enter a new chapter. On Friday, Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment were dissolved to create a new company: Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). SIE, which is headquartered in San Mateo, California, is placing a huge emphasis on the PlayStation brand and the future of gaming.

Some may see this as little more than changing the name of the company — even SIE acknowledges that “probably not a whole lot” will change at first — and perhaps some exec shuffling. However, this new transformation will allow SIE to “more quickly to meet the needs of the gaming community, innovate with digital services like PlayStation Vue and PlayStation Now, and — above all else — drive consistent and constant innovation in the dynamic medium of videogames,” states SIE President Shawn Layden.

One of the more pressing items on the agenda for SIE is to ensure that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End gets out the door on May 10th. The highly-anticipated title has already been delayed multiple times, and gamers would likely roll their eyes at yet another launch delay. Looking further down the road on the gaming side, there are additional titles like Horizon Zero Dawn and The Last Guardian to look forward to.

On the hardware front, SIE will be tasked with launching the PlayStation VR accessory this October for the PlayStation 4. The PlayStation VR will be available in a barebones kit that includes the just the headset and the necessary cords and adapters to connect with your PS4. A $499 bundle is also available, and includes two Move motion controllers and a PlayStation Camera.

Looking further down the road, it’s rumored that the PS4 will receive a mid-cycle refresh with an upgrade CPU and GPU that will support 4K gaming and provide some extra grunt for the PlayStation VR. Many were skeptical of such plans when the rumors about the so-called PS4.5 leaked in early March, but when The Wall Street Journallead credence to those rumors last week, our ears really perked up.